Sri Lanka prevail in ding-dong battle for cricket Bronze against Bangladesh. Tharindu Ratnayake was in blistering form to swing the pendulum. BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor)
Sri Lanka rose like the Phoenix after their devastating loss to India in the semis, and staved off a fierce challenge from Bangladesh before clinching a Bronze medal at the Asian Games in Nisshin, Japan.
In a game that fluctuated wildly, Bangladesh rattled Sri Lanka when they batted first removing the top order in quick succession to have them reeling at 4 for 21.
When things looked dire, Tharindu Ratnayake strode to the crease and took control with a blistering knock of 65 off 32 balls to swing the pendulum back in Sri Lanka’s favour.
He found ready allys in Skipper Sahan Arachchige, 33 off 37, and Ashen Bandara 18 off 24 as Sri Lanka lifted from 5 for 54 in 10.5 overs to a competitive 165 for 9 in 20 overs giving the bowlers a reasonable target to defend.
Ratnayake and Arachchige engaged in a face saving and lucrative 111-run stand for the sixth wicket.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers then gave Bangladesh a taste of their own medicine when they produced a devastating performance with tha ball that reduced them to 6 for 50 killing off any chance of the type of revival that Ratnayake produced.
Sri Lanka romped to a 63 run win bowling Bangladesh out for 102 in 17.3 overs.
Nuwan Thushara 2 for 18 and Tharindu Ratnayake caused the early chaos in Bangladesh’s batting.
They were joined by Vijayakanth Viyasenth 2 for 26 and skipper Arachchige and Dushan Hemantha one each, that clinched a valuable Bronze to Sri Lanka’s disappointing campaign at the Games.
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